Online Certificate · Small Business Management

Take the First Step Toward Running Your Own Business

Thinking about working for yourself? This course covers bookkeeping, VAT, income tax, payroll, budgeting and cashflow. Marketing, social media and Xero are in there too.

From €29a week, no deposit
Self Pacedstudy when it suits
No Examsever
Nine Topicsbookkeeping to cashflow
At a Glance

Course Snapshot

Study AreaSmall Business Management
DeliveryOnline and self paced
StartStudy when it suits you
AssessmentNo exams, ever
SoftwareSage, QuickBooks and Xero
PaymentsFrom €29 per week
Comes with
  • No business experience needed
  • No finished business idea needed
  • Tutor support by phone and email
  • Study from anywhere in the country
Who It’s For

Why Do This Course

Run Your Own Thing

The money side is what sinks most new businesses.

Understand Your Own Books

VAT, tax and payroll stop being someone else's problem.

No Idea Needed Yet

You can start before the business plan exists.

Where The Skills Fit

Where These Skills Could Take You

Running something small means wearing every hat for a while. Days look like quotes, invoices, stock, marketing posts and watching the bank balance.

Small Business Owner

Run your own trade or service business.

Startup Founder

Get an idea off the ground and funded.

Operations Coordinator

Keep suppliers, stock and schedules moving.

Online Store Operator

Run listings, orders and the books.

Business Support Officer

Keep reports, records and suppliers in order.

Self-Employed Administrator

Handle admin and books for your own clients.

Roles where these skills are useful, not promised outcomes. Every job is different, and some ask for more study or experience.

The Course

What You'll Learn

Nine topics, from your first ledger to a cashflow forecast.

01
The Books
Where every business starts.
Accounting and Bookkeeping Fundamentals
Financial Statements
Accounting with Xero
02
Tax And Payroll
What you owe, and who you pay.
Fundamentals of VAT
Fundamentals of Income Tax
Fundamentals of Payroll
03
Growing It
Looking forward instead of back.
Budgeting, Forecasting, and Cashflow Management
Financial Statement Analysis
Marketing and Social Media
Included

What You’ll Get

In the Course

  • Books, bookkeeping and statements
  • Tax, VAT and income tax
  • Payroll, paying people right
  • Growth, budgets, cashflow, marketing

As a Student

  • Self paced, study when it suits
  • No exams, none at all
  • Tutor support, phone and email
  • Software, Sage, QuickBooks, Xero
Why This One

What Makes It Different

Three things to weigh up.

01
Tax And VAT Covered

VAT and income tax basics, not just bookkeeping.

02
Three Accounting Programs

Skills across Sage, QuickBooks and Xero.

03
Marketing Sits Inside

Marketing and social media come with the finance topics.

The Credentials

What You'll Earn

CERTIFICATE

Certificate of Achievement

Plus career support services

Certificate Of Achievement

Issued by the college when you finish.

Xero Education Partner

The college is an official Xero Education Partner.

Career Centre Access

Job listings, CV review and interview prep.

Getting Started

How It Works

Step one

Tell Us Your Plan

A new business, a side trade, or tidier books.

Step two

Ask The Questions

An advisor is straight about what this covers.

Step three

Sort Payments

Upfront, or weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Step four

Start Learning

Enrol and open the first topics.

The Investment

How to Get Started

From €29 / week
Pay upfront, or on an interest free plan.
No deposit to start
No credit check
Weekly, fortnightly or monthly
A course advisor can price it with you
Enquire Now
Good to Know

Common Questions

Do I need a business idea first?

No. You can start before the plan exists.

Do I need to be good with numbers?

No confidence with finance is assumed. It starts at bookkeeping basics.

Are there exams?

None, ever. You move through the topics at your own speed.

Which software is covered?

Sage, QuickBooks and Xero, with Xero taught in its own topic.

Does it cover tax?

Yes. VAT and income tax basics both have topics.

Is marketing included?

Yes. Marketing and social media sit with the finance topics.

Is this course accredited?

It is accredited by ICOES and the CPD Standards Office, and the college is an AAT Approved Training Provider. It is not a QQI course and not a national award. For running your own business, what counts is whether you can read your own numbers.

What if it is not for me?

Talk to a course advisor before you enrol. They will say plainly if another course suits you better.

Delivered By

About the College

This course is delivered by The Career Academy, the trading name of The Career Academy Limited, an Irish registered company.

It is an ICOES accredited centre with CPD Standards Office accreditation, an official Xero Education Partner and an AAT Approved Training Provider.

ICOES accredited centreCPD Standards OfficeXero Education PartnerAAT Approved Provider
Your Own Name

Enquire Today

Picture the month your own invoices finally cover the bills.

Enquire Now